


Woman of Valor, A

by westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist



Category: The West Wing
Genre: Drama, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2002-04-02
Updated: 2002-04-02
Packaged: 2019-05-15 19:40:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14796701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist/pseuds/westwingfanfictioncentral_archivist
Summary: Powerful Moss eyebrows and still no coffee.





	1. Woman of Valor, A

**Author's Note:**

> A copy of this work was once archived at National Library, a part of the [ West Wing Fanfiction Central](https://fanlore.org/wiki/West_Wing_Fanfiction_Central), a West Wing fanfiction archive. More information about the Open Doors approved archive move can be found in the [announcement post](http://archiveofourown.org/admin_posts/8325).

**A Woman of Valor**

**by:** Evelyn 

**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna  
**Rating: YTEEN**  
**Summary:** Powerful Moss eyebrows and still no coffee. Spoilers, everything through "Dead Irish Writers."  
**Disclaimer:** Aaron Sorkin owns everything.  
**Notes:** I wanted to try something different with this story - dialogue!!. My first stories ("Options" etc.) were lots of fun and I've got a few more ideas of how to get those two together while waiting for AS to devise his own plan :-) Special thanks to Shelley and Brandy for their encouragement and careful reading of this story.  
  
_"A woman of valor, who can find? Far above pearls is her_ value."   
Proverbs 31:10-31  
  
  
"Donna, it's too tight."  
  
"Don't be a baby, Josh. If it's not tight, it'll unravel."  
  
"I'm telling you I can't breathe."  
  
"Well, if you don't like the way I tie your bowtie, why don't you get your girlfriend to tie it for you."   
  
"No, J, why don't you learn to tie your own damn bowtie," came a voice from the doorway.  
  
Donna dropped her hands and quickly stepped back from Josh, turning to see Amy standing in the doorway to Josh's office. She was dressed in the same black and white formal she'd worn to the first lady's birthday party, and was clearly very annoyed.  
  
"We're going to be late, J." Amy growled.   
  
"I'm sorry. The meeting with Stackhouse went longer than expected." Josh started to explain, but was quickly interrupted by Amy.  
  
"I don't care. Come on. This is a big night for the Women's Coalition and I need to get there."  
  
"OK, OK. Donna," he turned to look at his assistant. "I'll be back after the dinner, and we can finish that report for Leo. It's got to be on his desk by 7 tomorrow morning because he's meeting with Hoynes at 8."  
  
"It's fine, Josh. I'll finish up the research and start the draft, and..."  
  
"Now, J." Amy started pulling on Josh's hand, as the phone started ringing.  
  
Donna waved Josh off and went to answer it. "Josh Lyman's office."  
  
Amy dragged Josh through the bullpen, carping the whole way about how late they were going to be when Josh pulled to a standstill. "Wait a minute. Damn, I forgot to tell Donna about the latest stats that Sam just gave me. They've got to be in the report or we'll look like idiots. I promise, two seconds tops," and with that Josh spun on his heels and sprinted back to his office.  
  
"Donna, Donna," he bellowed, as he neared his door. He walked in and found Donna still standing next to his desk, phone in hand.  
  
"Donna, I forgot to tell you..." his words trailed off as he looked at his assistant's face.  
  
"What's the matter?"  
  
Donna stood there, wordlessly, dangling the receiver over the desk, staring into space.  
  
"What happened? Who was on the phone?" Josh said.  
  
"That was my Dad....there's been a car accident and my mother's been hurt. They don't think..." She couldn't finish the thought.  
  
Josh bounded across the room, took the phone out of Donna's hand and replaced it in the handset. Then he put both his arms around her and brought her close in a bear hug.  
  
"Shh, Donna. It's going to be ok," he whispered, rubbing her back, and holding her tight.  
  
"Stop it Josh, you don't know that. Let me go, I've got to get to Madison. I've got to get there...." Donna looked down at her watch and then smacked the desk, "Shit, I can't even get there until morning. The last connecting flight left an hour ago," she mumbled as the tears started to fall.  
  
They stood there for a few seconds, with Josh murmuring comforting words, stroking her hair, and Donna crying into his tuxedo jacket, when they were interrupted by,"  
  
"J, what the hell is going on?" Josh turned and saw Amy, a fuming Amy, standing in the doorway.  
  
He slowly detached himself from Donna and whispered, "I'll be right back" guiding her over to his couch and gently pushing her down to sit.  
  
Josh quickly walked to the door, pushing Amy out with him. "Go on without me, Amy. I'm really sorry." he said softly, not wanting his words to carry. "Donna just got word that her mother's been in a car accident and I need..."  
  
"What are you kidding me?" Amy yelped and jumped back from Josh. "This is the biggest fundraiser we have. The place will be crawling with Congressmen, lobbyists, and the press. You can't tell me to go by myself. They expect to see you with me."  
  
"Amy, I just told you, Donna's mother may be dying, what the hell do you expect me to do." Josh said irritably. "I'm not leaving her alone."  
  
"Look, J," Amy softened her tone and rubbed her hand up Josh's arm. "I'm not asking you to leave her alone. Get one of the other assistants to be with her. Tonight's a really big night for me. I need you to be working that room with me. You'll come back after the dinner, but we've got to go now," Amy started to pull on Josh's hand.  
  
"No." Josh said firmly. "I can't do that. I'm staying with Donna. I'll call you tomorrow. Go ahead. You'll be late," and with that he turned on his heel and started to walk away.  
  
Amy grabbed his sleeve, and snapped, her voice rising, "Don't you dare. I mean it Josh. I sat through three hours of the Leadership Council dinner with you last week. You owe me. You have me hang around here for a half hour waiting for you to show up and then you pull this stunt. You just don't want to go tonight. What the hell am I supposed to tell Abbey Bartlett when she asks where you are? She's being honored you know."  
  
"Tell her the truth. She'll be on a cell phone within 30 seconds calling Donna," Josh countered. "Give me a break, Amy. This is Donna's mother we're talking about. Go to your dinner and do what you have to do. You don't need me there."  
  
"Right. Could you please talk to me like someone who's been a player in this town for ten years? You know how important this night is to me. Who are you trying to kid? You know about credibility. Someone else can stay with Donna for a couple of hours."  
  
"I'm not leaving Donna or passing her off to someone else. Can't you get your priorities straight for like two seconds?"  
  
"How come when a woman takes her work seriously, she's forgotten her priorities, but, if a man does....oh, the hell with it.  I don't need this from you. I'm not apologizing for taking my work seriously."  
  
"Oh, don't worry. I understand that perfectly," Josh countered. "Look, I don't have time for this," and he paused, and added, "or you."   
  
And with that he walked into his office and closed the door.

| 


	2. Woman of Valor, A 2

**A Woman of Valor**

**by:** Evelyn 

**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna  
**Rating: YTEEN**  
**Summary:** Powerful Moss eyebrows and still no coffee. Spoilers, everything through "Dead Irish Writers."  
**Disclaimer:** Aaron Sorkin owns everything.  
**Notes:** I wanted to try something different with this story - dialogue!!. My first stories ("Options" etc.) were lots of fun and I've got a few more ideas of how to get those two together while waiting for AS to devise his own plan :-) Special thanks to Shelley and Brandy for their encouragement and careful reading of this story.  


* * *

  
  
Donna sat on the couch with her head in her hands. Josh slid next to her, put his arms around her and pulled her close.

Donna lay still for a few moments, and then pushed herself up. "Josh, you've got to get going. I'll be fine. I told my Dad I'd wait here until....until we know something more. I didn't want to be on the metro when he called me on my cell phone. Go on, the fundraiser's going to start. You can catch up with Amy. I don't want her pissed that you missed it."

"I'm sorry you heard that. Don't worry about it." Josh interrupted, pulling her close again. "I'm not going anywhere."

"But this is her big night. She's counting on you. She needs the administration's enforcer with her tonight to rally the troops for the sisterhood," Donna smiled weakly, pushing her hands against Josh's chest and starting to get up. She wiped her face with the back of her hands and blew out her breath. She put on what Josh called Donna's game face.

"I'll be fine. I need to make reservations on the first plane out of DC in the morning and get things started on that report. I won't be able to finish it," her voice cracked, but she gave herself a little shake, and continued, "but it'll keep me busy while I wait."

The phone rang and Donna froze. It rang again, and Josh reached out for the receiver. "Josh Lyman," he answered quickly. "Yes, she's here," and he handed the phone to Donna.

She took it in her trembling hands, while Josh put his arm around her shoulder and steadied her.

"Dad? What did the doctors say?" Donna nodded her head as she listened. "How long do they think the operation will last?" She nodded her head some more in response to the words on the other end. "Did you talk to her? Is she in much pain?"  Donna's voice broke as she fought for control. "I see. Yes, I'll wait right here. Yes, he's with me. OK, call me as soon as you know anything. And Daddy, tell Mom I love her very much." Tears streamed down Donna's face as she listened to a few more words, and then hung up the phone.

Josh enveloped Donna in a hug, not saying a word, then said. "C'mon, let's sit down," he said. "What did your Dad tell you."

"From what the doctors can tell," Donna whispered, struggling for control  "she's bleeding internally, and her right arm and leg are broken. They've stabilized her enough to take her up to the operating room now and figure it's going to be at least four hours if not more."

"Is there someone with your Dad?" Josh asked.

"Yeah, my brother Paul is with him. But I should be there, too and I can't even get to Madison until the morning," Donna murmured.

"Shh, you'll be there soon," Josh said soothingly. "I know how frustrating this is for you," he added, remembering his own feelings four years earlier when he'd heard the news about his father. He thought about how he felt - that somehow he'd let his parents down by being half way across the country when his Dad unexpectedly died. "You couldn't know that something like this would happen."

"Josh," Donna said quietly. "You know what my Dad  
said?"

"What?"

"He said that my mom told him to tell me that she was so proud of me. Can you believe that? In the middle of all that's happening, she wanted me to know that she loved me."

"Doesn't surprise me. Moms are like that. She is proud of you, Donna.."

"But God, Josh, I've screwed up so many times. The forty seven majors I had in college...and she was so angry with me when I dropped out of school and moved in with Dr.Freeride... although she loves your nickname for him," Donna laughed. She sat up straighter, looked at Josh's face, sighed, and then leaned back against him. He draped his right arm around her shoulders, and entwined his left hand in hers on her lap.

"Then you can imagine how thrilled she was when I drove across the country in a ten-year old car to join the campaign of a guy who had no chance to win - and a Democrat at that. I'd call her from unknown little towns, staying in seedy motels, and tried to describe to her my impossibly demanding boss," Donna rolled her eyes and smiled as she said that.

"But they were both so excited when we won and you were working at the White House, even if they are" and Josh dropped his voice to a whisper, "Republicans." Then he laughed.. "Remember when they came to DC and had their picture taken with the President? Do they show it to the neighbors or keep it in a brown paper bag?"

"Are you kidding me? They used it for the family Christmas card," she giggled. She paused for a second, then turned and looked at Josh seriously, "Yes, they are proud of me, but I barely make time for them. I talk to them about once a week, but basically, it's "hi, how are you, how's Paul, sorry, got to run." I haven't been home for Christmas in two years," Donna said, then stopped, embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, Donna. I know you didn't go home for Christmas because...." Josh left unsaid what they both knew about recent Decembers. A year ago he'd been on the edge of insanity, and she had pulled him back from the abyss, sacrificing her own holiday to save him. This last Christmas they'd been in the midst of the hearings, the diary mess, and everything else and she'd stuck around D.C. to help even when the two of them were barely speaking.

"No, Josh, I didn't mean that. Don't blame yourself. Being together for holidays is fun, but it's my fault I haven't made time for my family. I could have gone to Madison some other weekend or at least called more often. I've been so bewitched by life inside the beltway, that I've forgotten to take care of some of the people I love the most. I'm not doing that anymore.... if I get the chance." She added quietly. They sat there in silence, Josh rubbing her shoulder and holding her hand.

After a few moments, Donna spoke again. "You know I don't think my mom would call herself a feminist, but that's what she really is. She could give Amy a run for her money."


	3. Woman of Valor, A 3

**A Woman of Valor**

**by:** Evelyn 

**Category/Pairing:** Josh/Donna  
**Rating: YTEEN**  
**Summary:** Powerful Moss eyebrows and still no coffee. Spoilers, everything through "Dead Irish Writers."  
**Disclaimer:** Aaron Sorkin owns everything.  
**Notes:** I wanted to try something different with this story - dialogue!!. My first stories ("Options" etc.) were lots of fun and I've got a few more ideas of how to get those two together while waiting for AS to devise his own plan :-) Special thanks to Shelley and Brandy for their encouragement and careful reading of this story.  


* * *

  
  
"I find it a little hard to believe that your Wisconsin Republican mother was a founding member of NOW," Josh smiled.

"No, no," Donna laughed. "My mother would probably have a heart attack if she heard that. No, I mean, my parents have a fairly traditional marriage. My mother never held a job until Paul and I were in school, and then she worked as a school secretary so she'd have the same vacations as we did. And my dad always came home and expected a full meal on the table. He couldn't have found the washing machine if he'd been left a map. I've always thought I'd never want the life they lead, but..."

"But what," Josh  
prodded.

"But it works for them. And there are parts of it that I do want in my life. I mean, they don't divide up the chores evenly, but they really do respect each other. Not just love one another, but respect what each of them brings to the marriage. I want that. My dad counts on my mother. He knows that it's my mom who keeps our family together. She keeps the house going, sat with us with us while we did our homework, she even taught me the value of index cards," Donna chortled.

"Does she bring your Dad coffee in the morning?" Josh asked with a smirk.

"Every  
single morning, Joshua," Donna replied.

"Wise woman," Josh  
offered.

With a quick elbow to Josh's gut, Donna turned, looked at Josh, and smiled, "Not going to happen Josh."

"I'm just saying, you could learn a lot from your mother," Josh continued in a teasing tone.

"Let it go, Joshua," Donna laughed....."As I was saying, my mom can be quite the revolutionary in her own quiet way. I remember when I was in sixth grade and trying to decide if I should run for secretary or treasurer of the class, you know the girl jobs, and she looked at me and said, `Donnatella, why don't you run for president?' I just rolled my eyes at her and explained that Tommy Fairgate, the love of my life at the time, was planning on making a run. She just shook her head and said `If you don't want to be president, that's fine, but if you're not running because you don't think his ego can handle the challenge - well you're going to meet men like that all your life and you're better off without those kinds of dorks.'"

"Who won?"  
Josh laughed.

"I beat Tommy two to one," Donna answered smugly. "Of course, he had dumped me within five minutes of announcing my candidacy and his basic campaign was that I was more flat-chested than Gumby and that I didn't know how to kiss. This based on one pathetic round of spin the bottle at Melinda Jackson's birthday party. Of course, what he was too dumb to realize was that flat-chested girls outnumbered boys in the class by a third."

"Ah, he didn't get good polling data," Josh  
smirked.

"Woman power," Donna grinned. Then her face got serious and she said softly, "My mom was the one who made sure that I had a fabulous costume every Halloween; who came to every performance of every school play, even if I only had one line. And she's the one who keeps my Dad grounded. He's got a temper, but she can quiet him down by just arching one eyebrow."

Josh chuckled ruefully. He knew how powerful those Moss eyebrows could be.

"It was my mom who insisted I go to college. It's my mom who keeps sending me e-mails about distance learning and all the college courses on the Internet I could be taking to finish my degree. She hasn't liked the Gomers I've picked either - and yes, she likes that descriptive word of yours too," Donna turned and smiled at Josh.

"It's not that she doesn't want me to get married and have kids. I mean she plays the grandchild card on a regular basis. But she also keeps pushing me to find out what I want to do with my own life. She's happy with her choices, but wants me to know myself so I can make my own decisions,not based on what I think some guy wants me to do. My mother knows who she is and what she wants better than anyone I know."

"I know what you mean," Josh said thoughtfully. "When Joanie died," he stopped and Donna tightened her grip on Josh's hand. "When Joanie died," he continued, "my Dad fell apart and my Mom, well of course she was devastated, but she kept us all going. She insisted that we sit down for dinner every night when now that I think of it, she couldn't have wanted much to eat. But she knew that we had to continue to be a family. And a couple of years after the fire..." he stopped again.

"What happened," Donna asked, "a couple of  
years after the fire?"

"Well I wanted to go away to camp, and my Dad was absolutely against the idea. I guess I understand now that he just didn't want me out of his sight, but I was so furious because all my friends were going and I was, well let's just say the famous Lyman temper started fairly young," Josh grinned. "But it was my mom who insisted that I should go. She knew I needed the independence." Josh paused and then added thoughtfully, "You know, I don't know anything about Amy's mother."

"You mean she isn't the spawn of Satan?" Donna asked, arching one of those famous eyebrows.

"Ouch," Josh answered.

"Sorry,"  
Donna replied. "That was uncalled for. I don't know why..."

"I know exactly why you said it," Josh interrupted, smirking. "And yes, she's not exactly Betty Crocker," he laughed.

"No, no, no, I don't want to get on a rant about cold-hearted career bitches," Donna said laughing. "Whoops, guess that wasn't much of an improvement on the first comment, huh? Did I mention that my mom has a wicked sense of humor?"

"No, but if Amy is worth a few laughs tonight, it's a small price to pay. Anyway, I figured that the Moss power eyebrows probably came from the same place as your wit."

Josh and Donna spent the next few hours together. Sometimes they talked about their families and sometimes they were just comfortably silent, and the time passed quickly. They were sitting on the  
sofa, with Donna leaning quietly against Josh, when the jangle of the phone startled them. They stared at each other, and then Josh reached for the phone, listened, and handed it to Donna. She took it into her right hand, and reached out for Josh's hand with her left.

"Dad?"

She listened a few moments and then slowly a small smile spread over Donna's face, and she nodded her head to Josh. "Good, good. Thank God. OK, I'll be on the 6:30 plane which arrives in Madison at 9:05. I'll take a cab straight to the hospital. No Paul doesn't have to pick me up. Oh, OK, I'll look for him. I love you Dad, kiss Mom and Paul for me too. I'll see you tomorrow."

Donna hung up the phone and flung her arms around Josh. "It went better than expected. She's still in critical condition, but the doctors are optimistic," she said hugging him tighter.

"C'mon, I'll drive you home to pack and then take you to the airport. You'll call me once you've seen your mom, right?"

"Yes, yes. Oh my God, Josh, the report for Leo. We haven't touched it all night."

"Don't worry about it. I'll talk to Leo and we'll postpone Hoynes. I'll finish it in the morning."

"Tell Leo I'm sorry. Tell him,"

"Don't worry about it, Donna. Leo has a mother too. He'll understand," Josh reassured her.

"Tell him to call his mom," Donna smiled.

"I will, after I call mine." Josh nodded. "And Donna, take as long as you need in Wisconsin, but..." his voice drifted off.

"But what," Donna wondered.

"But you will come back, right? I know you're feeling guilty about not spending enough time with your parents, but you will come back, won't you. I'll miss ...." Josh sputtered, not able to finish his sentence.

"You'll miss  
what?" Donna asked with a smile and a lift of her brow.

"I'll miss those power eyebrows of yours, among other things," he answered in a soft voice.

"I'll be back Joshua, I promise," as she took his hand and walked out the door.


End file.
